Multiple stop device for press brakes and the like

Claim 1

IN A PRESS BRAKE AND THE LIKE HAVING A BED AND A RAM RECIPROCABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED; A BOTTOM LIMIT SWITCH, AND A MEMBER CARRYING A BOTTOM STOP, ONE OF SAID SWITCH AND MEMBER BEING MOUNTED ON SAID BED AND THE OTHER ON SAID RAM, AND SAID MEMBER BEING ADJUSTABLE TO DETERMINE THE POINT AT WHICH SAID BOTTOM LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTUATED BY SAID BOTTOM STOP TO STOP DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIR RAM, A PLURALITY OF ADDITIONAL BOTTOM LIMIT SWITCHES MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID FIRST MENTIONED LIMIT SWITCH, AND A PLURALITY OF ADDTIONAL BOTTOM STOPS MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER, EACH OF SAID ADDITIONAL BOTTOM STOPS BEING ADJUSTABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEMBER, AND AN OPERATIVE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING SWITCH MEANS FOR PLACING MAY AND ALL OF SAID LIMIT SWITCHES SELECTIVELY INTO OPERATIVE RELATION TO SAID CIRCUIT, AND MEANS FOR RENDERING SAID SELECTED LIMIT SWITCHES OPERATIVE IN ANY SEQUENCE RESPONSIVE TO SUCCESSIVE STROKES OF SAID RAM TO PROVIDE A CYCLE OF OPERATION WHEREIN THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM IS STOPPED AT DIFFERENT POINTS ON SUCCESSIVE STROKES IN SAID CYCLE, WHEREBY ALL OF SAID BOTTOM STOPS MAY BE ADJACENT AS A UNIT TO COMPENSATE FOR VARIATIONS IN THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL BEING OPERATED UPON, WITHOUT DISTURBING THE SETTINGS OF SAID STOPS IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER.